Ecology Stone

Ecology Stone by Akseli Leinonen unveiled on Fredikanterassi in front of Tripla in Keski-Pasila on 20 October 2020. The work won the general artwork competition in 2016-2017. The competition was organised by the City of Helsinki and YIT Rakennus Oy.

The landmark-like work consists of three parts: the gate, the statuesque boulder and vegetation. The black steel gate placed in front of Tripla is abstract and minimalistically geometrical. A free-form, balancing boulder with a garden plot inside has been hoisted to sit on top of the gate, above passers-by. Over time, the plants typical of Finnish forest landscapes planted inside the garden plot will start to cover the top surface of the boulder cast out of concrete.

Ecology Stone reminds us of the presence and significance of nature in a built urban environment. It highlights the fragile and unstable balance between humans and nature. The artist had this to say about the starting point of his work: “The current reality in central Pasila is fully constructed by humans. The trend is that the environment is getting more and more man-made. When you stand between accurately lined up city blocks, it is almost impossible to imagine that once here used to be a lake and dense forest.”

Ecology Stone belongs to the City of Helsinki’s art collection, which is managed and curated by HAM.

Artist Akseli Leinonen was born in Tampere in 1983. He earned a degree in architecture from Tampere University of Technology. In addition to working as an architect, Leinonen has realised several public art projects in recent years. The work Massa (2019) on Kansalaistori Square in front of Oodi also belongs to the collection of HAM.